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FIFTH WHEEL.

No. 300,674 Patented June 17, 1884.

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WILLIAM M. APPLEMAN, OF BENTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

FIFTH-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 300,674, dated June 17,1884.

Application filed March 11,1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. APPLE- MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Benton, in the county of Columbia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oscillating Fifth-Wheels; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to certain improvements in oscillating fifth wheels for platform spring-wagons.

It has for its object to provide a cheaper, stronger, simpler, and more durable oscillating fifth-wheel than those now in use; and it consists in a certain novel construction and arrangement of the various parts, all of whichI will proceed to point out and describe, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section taken on line as w of Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and I are details.

Referring-to said drawings, similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

A is the platform or frame,which is secured to suitable springs, and is composed of the cross-bar A, formed of the bent wood bar a and metal bar a, bolted together, the center bar, 0, bolted at one end to the cross-bar A, and the metal'hounds or side bars, B B, having their forward ends boltedto the cross-bar A, and their convergent ends bolted to the rear end of the center bar, 0.

D is a metal truss-brace under the bar 0, which prevents it from sagging and bending.

E are bearings bolted to the upper side of the center bar, 0.

F is a bolt passing through the bearings E, and is held in position by a nut, 11.

G is the fifth-wheel, composed of the upper and lower circles, c and d. Said fifth-wheel is mounted upon the bolt F by means of the perforated lugs e on the under side of the circle cl, which form rocker-bearings, through which said bolt F passes, and thus permits the fifth-wheel to oscillate laterally.

H is a king-bolt plate mounted on the bolt F by the perforated lugs f, forming rocker-v bearings, through which said bolt F passes. Said plate H has a circular raised center or bearing, 9. Y

I- is a rotary king-bolt plate having a hollow circular center, which fits over the raised center of the plate H and rotates around it, thus bearing against said raised center and relieving the strain upon the king-bolt.

K is the bed-piece, to which the Wagonbody is secured. Said bed-piece is securely fastened to I the upper circle, 0, and rotary king-bolt plate I.

L is the king-bolt, which passes through the king-bolt plates and bed-piece, and holds the same in position by means of the nut Z.

By this construction and arrangement of the various parts I am able to produce an oscillating fifth-wheel which is so strong and simple that it is almost impossible to break it or get it out of order, and which can be readily and easily taken apart when necessary.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In an oscillating fifth-wheel, the kingbolt L, rotary king-bolt plate I, and circle a,

secured to the bed-piece K, in combination with the king-bolt plate H, provided with rocker-bearings f, the circle d, provided with rocker-bearings e, and the bolt F, passing through the rocker-bearings e and f and secured to the platform A, substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.

2. The king-bolt L, rotary king-bolt plate I, having a circular hollow center, and the circle c, secured to the bed-piece K, in combination with the king-bolt plate H, having the raised circular center or bearing g, and provided with rocker-bearings f, the circle d, pro- Vided with rocker-bearings e, and the bolt F,

- passing through the bearings e and f and securedto the platform A,substantially as shown and described.

3. The bolt F, secured to the platform A, the oscillating fifth-wheel G, and king-bolt plate H, mounted upon the bolt F, in combination with the rotary king-bolt plate I, bedpiece K, and king-bolt L, substantially as shown and described.

4. The platform A, having the center bar, In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in 0, provided with the brace D, the bolt F, sepresence of two witnesses.

cured to said center bar 0 the osoillatin fifth- T wheel G, and king-bolt pl ate H, mount d up- W ILLIAM APPLEMAN' 5 on the bolt F, in combination with the rotary Witnesses:

king-bolt plate I, bed-piece K, and king-bolt GEO. W. HIRLEMAN, L, substantially as shown and described. IRA HEss. 

